tb skin test?

[johnny c. 0]

hey all. i had the tb test done on thursday and had to go back today. the spot on my arm where i got the shot was a bit red but nothing horrible. however i had the same test earlier this yr for a new job and had no reaction at all. i asked the nurse whe documented the results today if it meant i was positive for tb but she said there is not a positive or negative reading and the doctor determines that. i see him on tueseday for my physical and im a bit worried. did anyone here have any sort of reaction to the tb test at all?

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[Kez/JWolf 6]

Yes the same thing happened to me... because I was vaccinated with BCG at age 13.... I had to have a chest x-ray to prove I did not have TB...

Good Luck with the medical...

Kezzie

[Ta Ta 1]

Exctly, I agree with Kezzie.

If the skin irritation is larger than a certain size a xray is done to check for TB.

[allynella 0]

I had the skin test done approx. 5 years ago - no reaction (even though I was given the BCG shot many years ago). Then, for immigration, did it again, and had a horrible reaction. Chest x-ray done - nothing showed up (just a $50 hole in my pocket for the x-ray).

[Kez/JWolf 6]

I was lucky my medical insurance covered the cost of my x-ray...

Kezzie

[shermike 1]

I had the test done in July and I had a horrible reaction that stayed for 3 weeks. It itch and was swollen hard. I did the chest x-ray and that was clear so no further testing was required. The nurse did tell me that they had to report it to the Dept of Health.

FYI - I had the BCG vaccine when I was younger.

[KBchicago 0]

On an L1 visa and applying for green card through family member as I married a US girl 16 months ago.

I tested positive for TB. I had the chest x-ray done and it was fine, however the Govt Doctor said i still had to go to my own doctor and get a prescription for tablets that I have to take for 9 months (they can seriously damage your liver and so no alcohol at all for 9 MONTHS). My own Doctor gave me a note saying that the postive test was probably due to the BCG injection.

The bad news was that as soon as we sat down at the interview (3 weeks ago now), the interviewer (who turned out to be 3 weeks in the job) said she could not approve me anyway that day as I had a health issue and started asking questions about the positive TB test.

She insists that I take the tablets, which I had started doing, for the nine months and that I get tested again after that, but I'm pretty certain that it will still show up as positive because of the BCG.

We even had a lawyer with us for the interview and she was also gobsmacked...so she is hoping to get round this but if anyone else had a similar issue, please let me know how you solved it.

Thanks

[shermike 1]

That sounds really ridiculous! She must have been wrong!!!

[shermike 1]

I had the skin test done approx. 5 years ago - no reaction (even though I was given the BCG shot many years ago). Then, for immigration, did it again, and had a horrible reaction. Chest x-ray done - nothing showed up (just a $50 hole in my pocket for the x-ray).

I have my interview on Dec 6, did they ask you anything about the positive PPD?

[Ta Ta 1]

Good grief ! They are so incompetent. It is a well known fact that BCG injections will show

up as a positive for TB, I had a doctor write in my vaccination record ( not embassy related)

to not test me for TB as I had the injection as a child and that if tested a false positve would

show ie. a skin rash/reaction. I can't believe that you had problems about that , even with your

xray clear.......that should have never happened and your lawyer was not well informed either

and should have fought that easily.

I am sorry but I can't find the state.gov link where it states that if a skin reaction

occurs after a TB test , it has to be followed by an x-ray. If the x-ray is clear then

you are good to go . I hope someone finds it. Then you have it in writing. Just read

it myself about a week ago.

[allynella 0]

I should add that after skin test showed me up as PPD positive, I had to endure 9 months of the INH (forgot what that stands for...) medicine (yuck ). So did my daughter...

[shermike 1]

Good grief ! They are so incompetent. It is a well known fact that BCG injections will show

up as a positive for TB, I had a doctor write in my vaccination record ( not embassy related)

to not test me for TB as I had the injection as a child and that if tested a false positve would

show ie. a skin rash/reaction. I can't believe that you had problems about that , even with your

xray clear.......that should have never happened and your lawyer was not well informed either

and should have fought that easily.

I am sorry but I can't find the state.gov link where it states that if a skin reaction

occurs after a TB test , it has to be followed by an x-ray. If the x-ray is clear then

you are good to go . I hope someone finds it. Then you have it in writing. Just read

it myself about a week ago.

Read it too. There is a link is from the USCIS website under the medical form.

[Anna C. 4]

Good god that is horrible!

I myself was vaccinated with BCG, but right after birth so that I did not have any reaction during my medical. Anyway it is a well known fact that BCG triggers a false positive TB skin test, an x-ray will show that you are healthy. If they don't accept that, they are no good doctors. That 9 months cure of antibiotics is really bad for a healthy person and can make you sick! I agree with the others to read all the stuff from the websites and talk to a good lawyer.

For the OP: If you have more than one TB skin test within 12 months, the second test can show a false positive. Do you have documentation about your first test? IF they want you to take an x-ray make sure it is a very new x-ray-machine to get the lowest dose possible of radioactive radiation.

Good luck! I hope things will change, it is especially horrible that Ayanella's daughter had to take serious medication she didn't need to, that is crazy!

[Mary Lou 681]

i am tested for TB every year cause i work in the health field. The little red spot is how i react too and am always told its fine. Never needed a chest xray. So im sure you will be ok

[allynella 0]

I had the skin test done approx. 5 years ago - no reaction (even though I was given the BCG shot many years ago). Then, for immigration, did it again, and had a horrible reaction. Chest x-ray done - nothing showed up (just a $50 hole in my pocket for the x-ray).

I have my interview on Dec 6, did they ask you anything about the positive PPD?

No, I was not asked anything about my +PPD result. Forgot one minor detail.... since my daughter did have a +PPD result (also due to BCG shot) that first time we did it 5 years ago, I was given the INH medicine to take along with her for the 9 months. That info was documented and I showed it to the immigration doctor and he made the relevant note. When I finally got around to having my daughter's medical done this year, I just had the chest x-ray done. That seemed just fine with the doctor, but I guess we will see when she has her interview on the 7th.

Edited October 28, 2006 by allynella